2007-03-24 07:22:23 · 21 answers · asked by Dinosaur 4 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
other people will define you by your actions because thats all they have to go on, you may define yourself by your thoughts since you know what they are, but that brings up the question of who defines you. You or the people around you?
2007-03-24 07:33:53 · answer #1 · answered by zeroambition 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Being defined by actions is what most people think is appropriate, since we can't probe into anyone else's thought and define them by such. However most actions are governed by thoughts, but not all thoughts result in actions...with that in mind I think the best definition of a person would be their rationale for following through on thoughts. What methodology the person uses to define what actions are appropriate and what are not.
I think the methodology the person uses is better thought of as being governed by their conscious rather than active thought. Indeed, it's easy to rationalize and justify just about any action regardless of the morality of the action itself. For example, if you come from culture where killing a person over an insult is appropriate (which has been the case in more than a few cultures in the past), you’ll always think you’re justified in doing so, even if you are somewhere where that belief is not agreed upon. Does this make you a bad person?
As long as the definition of a person is kept within certain boundaries, ie cultural, age, and so on, I think an adequate definition of a person would be their morality, or conscious.
2007-03-24 07:41:03 · answer #2 · answered by mightyjuansolo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The general population would define us by our actions that are affected through our thoughts. Regardless one can act without a thought and still make an action ambiguous. The saying first impressions define you as an individual is utterly wrong. We have numerous external and internal motivations that are expelled various factors. One who does not know how an individual processes or perceives life in general. In my opinion we are defined by our persona.
2007-03-24 08:07:57 · answer #3 · answered by westfl01 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Thought creates action. But where thoughts are sometimes hard to control, actions we take are easier to control. What makes a good person is their ability to not let negative thoughts manifest into negative action, and to allow positive thoughts to manifest into positive actions. So action is more what defines the person.
2007-03-24 07:55:01 · answer #4 · answered by Lindsey H 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To rip off whoever wrote the movie Batman Begins I will say that it is not who we are underneath but what we do that defines us. Our actions are infinitely more important than our thoughts as far as other people are concerned. However God judges us by both our actions and our thoughts on an equal basis because you can sin with your heart just as easily as you can sin with your hands.
2007-03-24 10:51:30 · answer #5 · answered by Frank Edwards 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From the perspective of mind, subjective experience..."who you are" is defined by your thoughts.
From the perspective of the world around you, which includes other people, "who you are" is defined by your actions.
Yes, thoughts (feelings, reason, imagination, memory, sensation, perception, analysis, intution, etc.) can trigger actions...but most of the time they don't.
Whereas actions - behavior - ALWAYS have consequences. Sometimes huge consequences. From the perspective of other people, they may be curious about what you're thinking, but what really matters to them is what you do, your actions, your behavior.
2007-03-24 07:32:05 · answer #6 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actions. But actions start with thoughts.
2007-03-24 07:28:02 · answer #7 · answered by ♥Charming's Princess♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would say that we are defined by our actions and our words. These two come from our thoughts/heart.
2007-03-24 07:26:14 · answer #8 · answered by Dowland 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No. Our actions and thoughts are things that will die. When you're dead, it won't matter. What really matters is the observing presence, that part of you that watches your thoughts and actions. That part doesn't change. You might not always have a certain thought, but you will always be able to see thoughts come and go. You might not always be able to perform a certain action, but you're always able to watch your actions and non-action.
Get beyond labels. Get beyond definitions. Be the witnessing presence. That's where your identity needs to rest.
2007-03-24 07:42:05 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We are defined by our actions, but our thoughts define our actions.
Best Wishes and Happy thoughts!!!!!!! ;)
2007-03-24 07:25:32 · answer #10 · answered by VOID 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋